Tennessee Titans hire Ken Whisenhunt as head coach

The Tennessee Titans wrapped up their coaching search by hiring San Diego offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt as their new coach and 17th in franchise history. Titans president and CEO Tommy Smith called the hiring a big day.

''Ken is a well-respected coach in this league and I am looking forward to seeing his vision become reality for this team,'' Smith said in a statement. ''He has a history of building successful offenses and took Arizona to a Super Bowl as a head coach. We all share a common goal for this team and that is to build a consistent winner.'' Whisenhunt, 51, will be introduced at a news conference today. He was the fourth person interviewed by the Titans, who fired Mike Munchak on Jan. 4.

The Indianapolis Colts are sending a larger contingent to the Pro Bowl than they first expected. Coach Chuck Pagano said he and his staff were chosen to coach one of the teams. The coaches are leaving for Hawaii next week. The only player from the AFC South champs chosen to play was linebacker Robert Mathis, the NFL's sacks champion. That number will likely increase because of injuries and the teams that make the Super Bowl.

A court hearing today in St. Louis will address a claim by the NFL Players Association that the league colluded to set a secret salary cap in 2010. Representatives from the NFL and the NFLPA will have 20 minutes apiece in oral arguments before a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The NFLPA is appealing a ruling by U.S. District Judge David Doty in Minneapolis rejecting the union's attempt to reopen the Reggie White lawsuit that guided league labor matters from 1993 until the new collective bargaining agreement in 2011. The union alleged owners used a covert cap to hold down salaries in the uncapped 2010 season. The players sought at least $4 billion in damages.

Johnny Manziel confirmed that he has signed with LRMR and Maverick Carter, the longtime friend and associate of LeBron James, to handle some of the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner's off-field projects. Manziel also said Erik Burkhardt will be his agent, and Bradley Beckworth and Jeffrey Angelovich are overseeing his business-related matters.

All-America left guard David Yankey is forgoing his final year of eligibility at Stanford to enter the NFL draft. Yankey said in a statement released by the school that ''the decision was not easy. I have loved my time at Stanford and am a proud member of Nerd Nation. I am humbled at the prospect of joining a long list of Stanford alumni currently playing in the NFL.''

LSU rushing leader Jeremy Hill is entering the NFL draft and one of his blockers, offensive guard Trai Turner, is joining him. Hill has played two seasons at LSU and was a major reason the Tigers reached double-digit wins in both of them, leading the team in rushing each year. Turner has started at right guard since the middle of 2012, his redshirt freshman year, and leaves with two years of eligibility left.

Former Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent wasn't drunk, as police contend, when he wrecked his Mercedes in a crash that killed a teammate, Brent's lawyer told jurors Monday at the start of his trial in Dallas. Brent was ''guilty of being stupid behind the wheel of a car,'' not driving drunk on the night of the December 2012 crash that killed his close friend and teammate, Jerry Brown, defense attorney George Milner said. If convicted of intoxication manslaughter or manslaughter, Brent could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Joe Cipiti, the grandfather of NFL coaching brothers Jim and John Harbaugh, has died. He was 98. Cipiti died Sunday morning in Ohio, and Jim Harbaugh spoke fondly of his grandfather Monday as the coach begins San Francisco's preparation for the NFC Championship game Sunday in Seattle. Along with the Harbaughs' parents, Cipiti attended last year's Super Bowl in New Orleans, where John's Baltimore Ravens beat Jim's 49ers, 34-31. Jim Harbaugh will miss the memorial service Friday, ''a bit of a crushing blow.''

COLLEGES

Nichols beats Westfield St.

Jessy Michaud, Ryan Sheehan and Marion Bennett all scored 10 points, while Jalen Hurst and Taylor Sarette both scored nine to lead the Nichols men's basketball team (9-4) to a 80-68 win at Westfield State (8-6). The Bison, who entered the nonconference game averaging 80.7 points, committed only seven turnovers and outscored the Owls, 33-0, from 3-point range. Nichols was 11 for 27 from beyond the arc with seven players making 3s. Westfield was 0 for 13 from 3-point range, but made 20 of 28 free throws to stay close.

The weekly college football coaches' poll will go on, though it won't have a direct say in which teams play for the national championship anymore. Grant Teaff, president of the American Football Coaches Association, said the poll that started in 1965 will continue. Sponsored for more than 20 years by USA Today and formerly run by United Press International, the coaches' poll had been part of the formula used by the BCS to determine which teams play in the championship game. The Bowl Championship Series is being replaced next season by the College Football Playoff. The four teams that will participate in the national semifinals will be picked by a selection committee.

Veteran NFL and college coach Brian VanGorder was hired as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame after spending the past season as linebackers coach for the New York Jets. VanGorder was an assistant under Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State from 1989-91 and won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach at Georgia in 2003. He previously has served as head coach at Georgia Southern and Wayne State, his alma mater. VanGorder replaces Bob Diaco, who left after four seasons at Notre Dame to become coach at Connecticut.

Louisville coach Bobby Petrino hired former UAB head coach Garrick McGee as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator, citing similar philosophies and their long history together. McGee, who played in college under Petrino, will be the quarterbacks coach in addition to the offensive coordinator.

Undefeated Arizona and Syracuse remain No. 1 and 2 in The Associated Press college basketball poll for a sixth straight week, and six newcomers joined the Top 25. No. 19 Cincinnati, No. 20 Creighton, No. 22 Pittsburgh, No. 24 St. Louis, and Oklahoma and UCLA, which tied for 25th, all moved into the rankings this week, replacing Oregon, Missouri, Gonzaga, Illinois and Kansas State. UConn remains No. 1 in the AP women's poll.

BASKETBALL

Huskies added to US pool

Breanna Stewart left a lasting impression at the U.S. women's basketball team training camp last fall. Now UConn's sensational sophomore is one of six college players on the national team pool announced Monday by USA Basketball. Joining Stewart in the pool were UConn teammates Stefanie Dolson and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, along with Baylor's Odyssey Sims, Maryland's Alyssa Thomas and Notre Dame's Kayla McBride. The six college players complement Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and seven other members of the London Olympic team that won the gold medal. From the 33-player pool, the team will be chosen for the 2014 World Championship and 2016 Olympic teams. The Americans won the world championship in 2010 and have five consecutive Olympic gold medals.

The Atlanta Hawks' first regular-season game in London provides first-year coach Mike Budenholzer the opportunity for a midseason review of his team. Budenholzer, the former longtime Spurs top assistant, says the Hawks have impressed him as ''very, very smart'' players. The Hawks (20-18) are third in the Eastern Conference despite losing Josh Smith to free agency and Al Horford to a season-ending injury in December. Horford was the team's leading scorer and rebounder. The Hawks on Monday night flew to London, where they will play the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

BASEBALL

$400K for Jackie's award

Jackie Robinson's 1947 Rookie of the Year award for the season he broke baseball's color barrier has sold for $401,968. Lelands auction house said that Robinson's trophy he won with the Brooklyn Dodgers was sold to an anonymous buyer on Jan. 10. The award came with a letter from Robinson's widow, Rachel. Also sold was the jersey worn by Christian Laettner when he made a last-second shot to lift Duke over Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA Tournament. The jersey went for $119,500. A rare Honus Wagner baseball card went for $657,250. The 1997 World Series ring won by Marlins pitcher Livan Hernandez was sold for almost $19,000.

Infielder Ronny Cedeno agreed to a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Cedeno is joining his seventh team in 10 years He is a .246 hitter with 40 homers and 239 RBIs in 868 games. The 30-year-old has played for the Chicago Cubs, Seattle, Pittsburgh, New York Mets, Houston and San Diego.

Outfielder Dayan Viciedo and the Chicago White Sox agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract and avoided arbitration. Viciedo, 24, hit .265 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs last year, when he also made $2.8 million in his second full season with the club. He ranked third among AL outfielders with 12 assists.

MISCELLANY

Capriati charges dropped

Former tennis star Jennifer Capriati won't have to face battery and stalking charges stemming from a 2013 confrontation with an ex-boyfriend under an agreement announced in West Palm Beach, Fla. Mike Edmondson, spokesman for the Palm Beach County state attorney's office, said the charges were dropped in exchange for Capriati's completion of 30 hours of community service and four hours of anger management counseling. Capriati, 37, had been accused of punching former boyfriend Ivan Brannan at a North Palm Beach gym last Valentine's Day and of stalking him for months before that. One of Brannan's co-workers told police that Capriati had tried to enter a locked door at the business and sometimes called up to 50 times a day.

Longtime NHL scout Jack Gardiner died following a long battle with cancer. He was 69. The San Jose Sharks said Gardiner died on Sunday. He had worked for the Sharks since 2004, focusing primarily on the eastern United States. Gardiner worked for the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs in a nearly 35-year career.

CDL A DELIVERY DRIVERS Home Every Night! Needed for our Worcester Depot! Drive local - No more spending valuable nights away from your family! As a Direct Store Delivery Representative YOU have the opportunity to make a difference with our customers! Provide excellent customer service; interact in a positive manner with our customers; deliver our products to local stores. Be home every night! Work for a Company that has been around for over 80 years! Minimum of 3 months driving experience with CDL A/B; GED or HS diploma required; Must be able to drive a standard transmission. EEO/Veteran/Disability Growing Strong Since1933!